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How to Use the Format Painter in Excel

Copy a look once, then paint it onto as many cells as you need.

  1. Select the cell whose formatting you want to copy

    Click a cell that already has the font, color, or border style you want to reuse.

  2. Click the "Format Painter" icon

    On the Home tab, click the paintbrush-shaped "Format Painter" icon.

  3. Drag over the cells you want to format

    Drag across the target cell or range, and the same formatting is applied instantly.

  4. Apply it more than once

    Double-click the icon to keep the Format Painter active and apply the same formatting to multiple locations in a row; press Esc when you are done.

  5. Why it matters

    You never have to manually reset font, color, and borders one cell at a time when you just need to match an existing style.

When you need to reuse the same look, again and again

If several cells across a table need the same fill color and border, rebuilding that formatting cell by cell is slow and error-prone. The Format Painter lets you copy an existing look and apply it elsewhere as quickly as painting with a brush.

Formatting only β€” never the values

It's worth understanding exactly what the Format Painter copies: font, color, borders, number formatting, and other visual styling β€” never the cell's actual value or formula. That distinction is what makes it safe to use on cells that already contain different data; only the appearance changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Format Painter also copy the cell's value?

No. Format Painter copies only visual formatting β€” font, color, borders, and similar styling. The value or formula already in the target cell is left untouched.

How do I cancel Format Painter mode?

Press Esc at any time to immediately exit Format Painter mode and return to normal editing.